Handle member



P. A. GEIER AND F. E ROBERTSON.

HANDLE MEMBER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, I916.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

W1 TNLis sEs;

UNITED STA ES PATENT 'o 1-cE.

PHILIP A. GEIER AND FRANK E. ROBERTSON, or- CLEVELAND, oHIo, assmnons T .THJJHP. A. GEIER-COMBANY, or CLEVELAND, omo, A CORPORATIONOF OHIO.

HANDLE MEMBER.

Speci flget ion of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 17,1920;

* I Applicationfiled March 25, 1916. Serial No. 86,589.

me all whom it may concern:

ER'ANK E. RoBERTsoN,-citizens of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland,- in the county of Cuyahoga and State of.

Ohio, have invented certaln new and use i ful Improvements in Handle Members, of

which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to improvements in handles, and has for its object, the provision, of a light rigidhandle member, especially adapted for vacuum cleaning apparatus of the motor driven-type. I

Such handles are now commonly made from sheet metal tubing, in order to afford sufiicient rigidity, and provide a conduit for electric wires, and a suitable receptacle for the controlling switch. Metal handles are conductors ofelectricity, thereby afi'ording a possibility for grounding the electric circuits, and the weight thereof, is greater than is desirable or necessary. Accordingly, we have adopted a fiber tube, which may be made of thedesired length. However, it has been found that such fiber tubing, of the requisitelength, is very liable to warp, and 'render the handle unadapted for use. To remedy this, we have provided an interior core, preferably of wood, and of such shape as tobear upon the inner periphery of the tube, at a plurality of angularly disposed points for maintaining the tube in alinement, while affording at the same time, a suitable and unobstructed passage for the current conducting wires. To accommodate the switch, we preferably slot the end of said tubing, and maintain the switch in position by means of its protruding buttons, which extend through the slots in the tube. A suitable bent terminal also is provided, which preferably is formed of fiber, and which contains a block to afford an anchorage for a mounting screw,

adapted to unite the handle and the tubing handle members.

Further details of construction will be explained in connection with the accompanying sheet of. drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section of the upper portion of the handle member.

Be it known that we, PHILIP A. Grin Rand i portion of the andle, illustrating the tubirf andits wooden core. Fig. 3 1s a transversesectional view on line 3-3, and

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the upper portion of'the handle member.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, we have employed the same char acter of referenceto indicate similar parts; The tube a, of fiber, which is shown in full size in our original drawings, is stayed throughout approximately its entire length,

by a wooden core 6. The core as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is provided with three ribs,

which are adapted to fit snugly within the inner" periphery of the tube, and prevent 1t from warping, as well as affording some slight additional rigidity. Th insulated conducting'wires 0,.are adapted to extend withinthe tube, and along said core; the

same-being connected to a switch (1, positioned adjacent to the upper i ignd of the tube, which is diametrically sotted at a,

- (Fig. 4), from its end, to accommodate the protruding push buttons d of the switch. A stiff wire spring 6, protects the exten sion 0, of the conducting cord, from abrupt bending at the points of its entrance within the tube. A wooden block f, occupies the terminally slotted section of the tube, while a bent tubular handle member 9, alsoof fiber, is adapted to telescope over the'slotted end of the tube, and be held in place by atransver'se screw it, seated'within the tele scoping portions of the tubes, and the contained wooden block. As a finishing 1iember, a semispherical wooden block .71, may be inserted at the end of the handle member 9.

As thus constituted, the handle described, is of extreme strength and lightness. Its rigidity is sufficient for all purposes, and it is'practically unbreakable, under conditions of ordinary use. ficulty of fiber tubing, is obviated by reason of the wooden core, which adds little to the weight, while the switch is made readily removable and accessible, merely by removing the screw it, and the terminal handle -member 9. Accordingly,.the @011 The inherent difca (nil struotion is Well adapted for continued use, and is not as tiring to the operative, as is a heavier metal handle, nor is it liable to ground the conducting Wires.

Moreover, a straight metal tube presents I comprising a length of -fiber tubing, a

difficulties in the Way of mounting the switch, Whichan insulating tube eliminates.

The telescopic fiber tubing, and the termi-.

nal handle portion, permit of strengthening the connection by inserting these members, as far as desired, one Within theothe'r. Contrasted with this, is the provision of a Wooden or other insulating handle portion, which ordinarily must be mounted upon a metal tube, to complete the handle member formed therefrom.

Having now described the preferred handle member of our invention, We claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters tatent,

the following 1. A composl snugly engaging said tubing interiorly' substantially throughout its length, a block te handle member, compris- 1ng a length of fiber tubing, a Wooden core neeaeae a terminal handle telescoping over said tubing and block, and means for uniting the tubing and handle, substantially as set forth. I I p 1, v

2. A odmposite handle. and a conduit,

Wooden core fitting approximately the entire interior of said tubing, and grooved longitudinally, said tubing being terminally slotted, a switch fitting within the slotted portion oflthe'" tubing, electric conductors extending from saidswitch interiorlyq of the tubing, a block interiorly inounted'beportion, tubing and block, substantially as our signatures in presence ot'two Witnesses.

PHILIP Ar GEIER. w 1 FRANK E. ROBERTSON. lVitnesses: FRANK BUBUA, ALBERT LYNN LAWRENCE. 

